Come and join us to learn about the Somerset Eel Recovery Project (SERP) with the enthusiastic Vanessa Becker-Hughes £10

Vanessa Becker-Hughes is a founding Director and heads up community engagement at SERP. Drawing from her high-impact position at Green Wedmore, her background in green energy consultancy and dedication to nature advocacy she brings a wealth of practical knowledge to her work, together with an unwavering commitment to progressive approach to education and outreach.

Under Vanessa's leadership, SERP has delivered several significant projects, the most notable of which being ‘Eels in the Classroom’, an educational programme which this year involved and engaged over two thousand students in conservation efforts. She also spearheaded and developed the Somerset Eel Conference, which proved an invaluable platform not only for sharing recent research, but for fostering collaboration between conservationists, artists, and community groups less exposed to science and the arts.

Vanessa is passionate about preserving cultural knowledge, organising traditional straw rope making workshops and oral histories projects that connect the community with cultural heritage and conservation practices. She has also been instrumental in advancing eel monitoring using eDNA, which has demonstrated considerable potential in open letters to various key organisations.

Vanessa’s commitment to building a movement which inspires people of all backgrounds and abilities is reflected in her outreach strategies that cover many sectors of Somerset life. Her ability to mobilise people of all social and political persuasions has been crucial to the project's impact. Whilst small in scale, Vanessa has proven that dedication, experience, and community connections can drive meaningful change in environmental conservation. Her work will ensure the eel lives on to inspire generations to come.

This talk is part of a series at Vallis Farm that focus on wildlife, biodiversity, sustainability, climate change and regenerative farming as part of an ongoing project.

Attendees can arrive from 6.30pm at the farm and help themselves to refreshments before the event starts.

We can provide a limited number of free tickets for students or those with financial concern. Please email robyn@vallisfarm.co.uk to book on.

Any questions about the event or series please email robyn@vallisfarm.co.uk